The Broadband Stakeholder Group (BSG) has reiterated its calls for the government to take a 'technology agnostic' approach when looking for the best way to connect the hardest-to-reach homes and businesses to super-fast, ultra-high-speed broadband. The vast majority of the UK's broadband infrastructure is provided by fiber to the cabinet (FTTC) technology which uses copper for the last few meters of a connection, but industry and government are now moving towards a " default fiber". . The government has committed to connecting 85% of the UK to gigabit broadband by the end of 2025 (a lower target than the promised universal coverage ahead of the 2019 general election).
Government broadband
Most of the country will be covered by commercial fiber optic rollouts from Openreach, Virgin Media and "alternative networks" like CityFibre, with the government pledging €5bn in grants and support to expand coverage as much as possible. The “Gigabit Project” has already identified several rural areas where further assistance will be needed, but alternative technologies such as 4G, 5G and satellite will all be essential to extend coverage further. The government is currently consulting on the shape of a support program for the more remote areas of the UK. GSO commissioned a report from analyst firm Analysys Mason to identify the most appropriate technologies for each use case and the biggest challenges in implementing them. The advisory group said it wanted to provide the government with as much evidence as possible when creating a grant program. Full fiber is inevitably the most expensive option, but 5G Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology could play a role where fixed connectivity is not possible. Among its recommendations is that, where appropriate, the government should address mobile and broadband coverage challenges at the same time and allow regulatory changes that make it easier and less expensive to build network infrastructure. The report also suggests taking into account other policy elements such as service availability, accessibility, reliability, and resilience. “We are delighted to respond to the government's inquiry about hard-to-reach locations,” said Stephanie Liston, GSO president. “We have seen the great need in the UK for digital services during the pandemic. As we improve and rebuild our economy, the need for ubiquitous broadband coverage is critical. We look forward to helping the government support all aspects of digital connectivity. "Providing high-speed broadband services to hard-to-reach facilities will be challenging, but with the right choice of technologies and download speed targets, policy makers can find a cost-effective solution," added Matt Yardley, Managing Partner of Analysys. Mason.